Zion's Adventure: The Pokémon Journey
by Zion Crayson
Summary: The newest tale in The Adventures of Zion Crayson, dealing with the his adventures through the Pokémon World. First is Kanto, the one that started it all. Don't worry, I'll try to give the canon characters a prominent role in the story.  Updated Mondays.
1. The Adventure Begins

Our tale begins in the middle forest northwest of Pallett Town. The Pidgey are singing, the Weedle and Caterpie are crawling about, but something is amiss. Oh, that's right, an inter-universal vortex is opening in the middle of this forest, unleashing some kind of creature upon the world. Is it Palkia? No, the vortex is inter-universial, not spatial. Could it be Cthulhu? As far as we know, that thing doesn't travel through universes. Maybe it's-

"It's me, alright?" a young man shouts as he comes out of the vortex as it dissapates. "It's only me. No godlike creature, no demon. Just the Guardian of the Light."  
>Ok...well, that's anticlimactic.<br>"Shut up already, will you, Narrator Man?"  
>Geez...you don't have to be so rude about it. And how can you talk to me, anyway?<br>"Well, either it's my training, or it might be the fact that the author is going for one of those 'fourth wall crahser' things."  
>Oh. Well, anyways, the lad was wearing jeans and a black shirt with his emblem on the front, which he calls the Delta Triangle.<br>"You forgot about the shoes. And my blade. The blade is the most important part of the ensemble, by the way."  
>Ah, yes...the sword. It has a straight-edged blade and is reported to be hand-forged by Zion himself. Of course nobody has ever seen him make <em>any<em> kind of equipment, so that claim seems to be dubious at best.  
>"Dubious? This thing holds a lot a lot of sentimental value! Even if I didn't hand-forge the blade myself, if it was given to me from an old friend, I'd still keep it forever!"<br>Alright, enough talking with the narrator. Like we have enough problems with the Fourth Wall already. Anywho-  
>"Let me handle the intro, and I'll stop talking to you for five chapters."<br>Five chapters, huh? Alright. You can handle the intro.  
>"Thanks. So begins the journey into a new universe. I, Zion Crayson, shall conquer any challenge, beat any foe, and befriend any ally that comes into my path!"<p>

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...That's it?  
>"Yeah. That's my intro."<br>That...was..._**STUPID**_! I couldn't have thought of a cornier intro even if I had thought of one myself!  
>"Really? Then let's see <em><strong>YOU<strong>_ come up with a good intro!"  
>Fine! <em>A<em> _new_ _chapter_ _in_ _the_ _Guardian_ _of_ _the_ _Light_'_s_ _legacy_ _begins_ _today_. _One_ _that_ _deals_ _with_ _pain_, _joy_, _sorrow_, _and_ _possibly_ _a_ _battle_ _against_ _the_ _god_ _of_ _the_ _universe_ _itself_.  
>"Wow...that wasn't half bad, if I do say so myself."<br>Thanks. Now keep your promise while I introduce the title of this here story.

**The** **Adventures** **of** **Zion** **Crayson**: **The** **Pokémon** **Journey****  
>Chapter<strong> **1**: **The** **Adventure** **Begins**  
>"What? 'The Pokémon Journey'? Is that all you can come up with for a title? And the chapter name. That's no better!"<br>I said shut up! And don't talk to me for five chapters!

* * *

><p>Sorry about that, folks. Now, we turn our gaze to a small town. It seems to only have four buildings. Two house our other main characters, one houses their rival, and the last one is a big laboratory. Let us start with our first main character house. He is usually silent, but for the purposes of this story, he shall talk, but not that much. In his bedroom, an alarm clock in the shape of a Gengar starts going off. The boy grumbles as he shuts it off, only to jump out of his bed after realizing what today is.<p>

"I almost forgot! Today's the day I get a Pokémon from Professor Oak and start my journey!" The boy said with excitement. He's currently wearing a black shirt and jeans. Unlike Zion's shirt, this one doesn't have anything on it.  
>"Well, I'd better get dressed. Need to look presentable when facing the Professor!" And with that, he got on his shoes and his wristbands, zipped up his jacket, grabbed his cap and bag, and walked off to the lab.<p>

Meanwhile, in the other house, a young lady was getting ready for her adventure as well. She had on a blue shirt with black trim and a red skirt. She also had a couple wristbands and long, blue socks.  
>"And so begins my Pokémon adventure!" the girl said while grabbing her hat and bag, ready to go to off to the lab when she bumped into the lad we had described earlier.<br>"Sorry about that! I was getting to Professor Oak's laboratory to get my first Pokémon." She seemed genuinely apologetic about bumping into him, thinking it was mostly her fault for not looking.  
>"It's alright. I was going there, too, and I wasn't looking, either."<br>The two get up and start walking together.  
>"I can't believe we're starting our journey at the same time, Red! I say we go on our journey together!"<br>"That's actually not a bad idea, Leaf. I don't think anyone has tried that before." Red blushed a bit as he opened the door to the lab and they went in together, seeing a familiar face at by the table. He was wearing a black shrit along with the other two guys, but he had purple cargo pants and purple wristbands to go differentiate his style from the others. Not to mention the fact that his hair is **ORANGE**.

"What are you two losers doing here?" he said with frustration in his voice. "Grandpa's not here yet, so you're better off waiting somewhere else!"  
>"And where <strong>IS<strong> the Professor?" Red asked.  
>"Heck if I know. He said he would be doing some research for a couple hours and that's it."<br>"Come on, Red. We'll wait outside the lab until he gets back."  
>Red nodded and went outside.<br>"Besides, we have better things to do than wait with someone who looks like he has a carrot for a head." And with a smirk, Leaf closed the door to the lab behinde her.  
>"Tch. Losers. My hair is supposed to be a lighter shade of brown. The artists just messed up during the remakes."<p>

* * *

><p>Back in the forest, with our so-called guardian...<br>You know, technically, looking at the camera like that is interacting with the Fourth Wall.  
>Thank you.<p>

Now, as I was saying, Zion was walking through the forest, when he saw a group of Scyther in the distance.  
>"Huh...what a strange group of mantis-like creatures..." the Guardian pondered aloud. Unfortunately, one of the Scyther heard him say that, and the entire group attempted to attack him.<br>"Uhh...I'm not looking for any conflict, here. I'm just wandering around." Zion said, trying to weasel...I mean, avoid a battle.  
>Just then one of the Scyther stopped the rest of the herd and approached Zion.<br>"You must be the leader of this group of mantis creatures," Zion noted, and as the Scyther talked, he couldn't understand a thing. "Wait, wait...all I'm hearing is 'Scyther, Scyther.' I think I've got something to fix that, though." And with that, he looked in his side pouches for a special item. After about a minute, he took out what looked like some sort of decive fitted for the eye. He put it on his left eye and turned it on. "Okay. Now, repeat what you said."  
>"As I've said, yes, I'm the leader of this clan, and I can see you're an accomplished fighter." the scouter, as it's apparently called, translated the Scyther's dialect perfectly.<br>"Well, I have travelled far and learned many things. What does that have to do with me, though?"  
>"Our clan has a strict policy against any outsiders entering our territory. You seem to be new here, so I'll set a proposition for you."<br>Zion tilted his head in response. "What kind of proposition?"  
>"It's simple really: if you can best me in combat, we shall make a rare exception for you when it come to our policy. If you lose, however..."<br>"You don't need to say another word, as I won't lose. The Guardian of the Light **NEVER** loses!" Zion sounded confident as he drew out his sword.


	2. Fighting Muramasa

Back to our duo, who have been waiting outside the lab for about fifteen minutes now.  
>"When's the Professor going to get back from his research?" Red asked impatiently.<br>"No idea, Red, but he'd better get here soon. I'm getting tired of waiting!" And like that, the Professor walked into the tiny four-house town.  
>"Sorry I took so long, kids." he said, clearly out of breath and a bit bruised. "There was a swarm of Beedrill at Viridian Forest, and I somehow startled them into attackling." And with that, the three walked inside.<br>"Well, it's about time you show up, Gramps! I'm tired of waiting to start my journey!"  
>"Wait, Blue? When did you get here?" Old Samuel was confused as to why his grandson would wait in the lab, but dismissed it shortly after. "Well, since you're already here, I may as well begin: Every journey begins with someone by your side. That someone will be one of these three Pokémon in these Poké Balls. There are three starter Pokémon on the table beside me. They are as follows: the GrassPoison combo-type Bulbasaur, the Fire-type Charmander, and the Water-type Squirtle. Choose wisely, as this first Pokémon will become your main partner for the trials ahead.

"So, who chooses first?" Leaf asked.  
>"I'll start." Red went to the table to choose his starter.<br>"Ah, come on! How come he gets first pick?" Blue was obviously fed up with all the delays.  
>"Don't worry, Blue, everyone will get their pick." Oak tried to comfort his grandson, but it obviously didn't work. After a couple minutes of deliberation, Red grabbed the Poké Ball containing Bulbasaur.<br>"Finally! It's my turn now!" Blue jumpped in before Leaf could even move and grabbed Charmander's ball.  
>"I guess I'll grab this one, then." Leaf said as she grabbed Squirtle.<br>"So you've made your desicions, huh? Then it's time to start your journey!"  
>"Hold on, Gramps! I wanna prove my Pokémon's the best first! Come on, Red! I challenge you!"<br>"Bring it on!"  
>Leaf just sighed at the two. "Boys will be boys..."<p>

* * *

><p>Back in the forest, Zion was clearly impressed at how well the Scyther was faring against his sword skills. They were practically trading blows!<br>_This_ _creature_'_s_ _pretty_ _good_... Zion thought to himself. _I_'_d_ _better_ _step_ _it_ _up_ _if_ _I_ _want_ _to_ _win_ _this_ _battle_.  
>"I'm surprised you've stood up to me for this long..." the Guardian sheathed his sword to prepare for the finishing blow.<br>"But can you handle **THIS**?" And with that, Zion slashed at the head Scyther at blinding speed. The Scyther was about to laugh when he suddenly felt the force of the impact and fell to his knees in pain.  
>"Nobody can withstand the High-Speed Slash." Zion said as he sheathed his sword for real and got ready to walk off.<br>"Wait!" The head Scyther started as Zion stopped to here what he had to say. "I've never seen anyone do anything like that before. Please...teach me your ways. Teach me how to move at such impossible speeds."  
>"Well, it's simple really. If you're willing to travel with me, I'll be glad to show you what I know."<br>The Scyther deliberated on the propsition for a couple minutes. On the one hand, he really wanted to learn what this kid had to offer, but on the other, he would have to leave his clan in order to do so. He looked at his clan, then to Zion, then back to his clan.  
>"Go on ahead, sir." one of the Scyther said. "Learn all you can from this kid. Then come back and teach us all you have learned so we can become even stronger ourselves!"<br>The head Scyther nodded. "I will. When I return, I will make sure to train all of you, so we can become the strongest clan of Scyther in the forest!" The clan cheered at the leader's promise.  
>"It's settled, then." Zion then started to look around for something.<p>

"Something you lost?"  
>"No, I'm looking for some stuff so I can get a head start on my journey." He then spotted a round object and picked it up.<br>The Scyther noticed the item and braced for its impact.  
>"This thing must be some sort of containment unit, I'm guessing." The Scyther nodded, still waiting for the hit. "I guess it would make things easier, but first up, let me introduce myself. I'm Zion Crayson, the Guardian of the Light. And what's your name?"<br>The Scyther tilted his head in confusion. "Name?"  
>"Yeah. What do the others call you?"<br>"I've...never had a true...'name.' The others have simply called me 'Leader,' or 'sir.'"  
>"Well, that won't do. From now on, your name is Muramasa, if that's alright with you."<br>"Muramasa...yes, I think that's a great name!"  
>"Well, then it's great to have you aboard, Muramasa!" And with that, Zion walked over and lightly tapped Muramasa on the head with the Poké Ball. A flash of light appearred around the Scyther and he was transported inside the round containment unit. After about the three shakes, the ball clicked and stopped moving in Zion's hand.<br>"Sorry for putting your leader in this thing, but if I remember this day, I promise to release Muramasa back to you guys when my journey is complete." And with that, Zion walked off to Pallet Town.

* * *

><p>"Aww, man! How could I lose to both of you?" Blue was clearly frustrated at not only losing Red, but also to Leaf shortly afterward.<br>"What can I say? Maybe you just aren't that good at battling?" Leaf was clearly trying to get at Blue's nerves. And it worked.  
>"Shut up! I'm going to train my Pokémon to make him tougher! Smell ya later, guys!" Blue stormed off into the field north of Pallet Town, where he bumped into Zion. "Hey! Watch where you're going, punk!"<br>"You watch where **YOU**'**RE** going, buddy! I was minding my own business, when BAM! You hit me out of nowhere!" Zion was not impressed with Blue's manners, to say the least.  
>"Whatever. Just stay out of my way!" And with that, Blue went to Viridian City.<br>"Geez...what a jerk!" This is the moment where the trio finally converge together.  
>"Sorry about that." Leaf said as Red helped the guardian to his feet. "Blue isn't the most polite person around here."<br>"I could tell." Zion replied, brushing himself off. "Not to mention, why is he called Blue when his hair is obviously a weird shade of orange?"  
>"It's <strong>BROWN<strong>!" Blue shouted in the distance.  
>"Yeah! Keep telling yourself that!" Zion shouted back. "Anyway, I'm Zion. It's nice to meet someone that's not a total jerk."<br>"I'm Leaf, and this is Red. Same here." Just then, the trio caught a glimpse of a Ho-Oh flying over a rainbow.  
>"Well, you don't see that every day." Leaf said with amazement.<br>"It's a magnificent sight to behold." Red noted, with tears in his eyes.  
>"You know, legends state that if you see a phoenix at the start of your adventure, you will be blessed with good fortune throughout it."<br>"Really?" Leaf was curious about the legend.  
>"Well, it's merely a legend I've heard about. I'm not sure if it's really true. It'd be cool if it was, though." And with that, the three figured out their next course of action.<br>"How about we make the journey as a trio?"  
>"A trio, huh?" Zion was intrigued by Leaf's proposal. "I don't think anyone's actually done anything like that before, so let's get to it!"<br>"Wouldn't there be complications with writing or typing a story like that?" Red was skeptical about how this would work.  
>"I'm sure the author will figure out a way around this for the first two gyms." Well, at least he's keeping his promise about not talking to me. I never said anything about breaking the Fourth Wall.<br>Leaf then pointed northbound. "Let's begin our adventure, then!" And with that, the trio walked off to Viridian City.


	3. The Delivery

After a little bit of walking through Route 1, our trio make it to Viridian City. It is a semi-large city surrounded by trees. There is a large forest in the distance, as well as a road to the west. There's also a gym to the east, but, for some reason, it's locked.  
>"So, where do we go first?" Zion asked. "There's a red hospital-like building to the north, and a market to the northeast of that."<br>"There's also an old man blocking the path north." Leaf noted, pointing in that direction.  
>"Huh...wonder what's going on." Zion walked over to the old man. "Why are you blocking the way north?"<br>"Legends say that when the phoenix Ho-Oh appears over an area, a great travesty is going to befall one of its villagers!" The old man sounded frantic.  
>"Come again?"<br>"You heard me, lad! Now get out of here before it's too late!"  
>"I don't know where you heard that, sir, but I've heard that the phoenix brings <strong>GOOD<strong> luck to those who see it."  
>"You're still not passing through here! This is private property, anyways!"<br>"Well, that makes a bit more sense. I'll head to the market, then." Zion walked to the others, who were already at the market.

"What'd he say?" Leaf wondered what went on.  
>"He seemed paranoid that something might befall the residents because the phoenix we saw, which is apparently called Ho-Oh, flew over this place, too."<br>"Didn't you say the phoenix brings **GOOD** fortune?"  
>"I did say that, Red, but I also said that it was just a legend I heard. There can be multiple legends about the same creature. Some can even be the opposite of what is commonly heard."<br>"We, we should get some supplies at the Poké Mart." Leaf suggested as they went inside the blue building.  
>"Hey! You two came from Pallet Town, right?" The clerk asked the canon duo.<br>Leaf walked over to the counter. "Yeah. Something you need?"  
>"You know Professor Oak, right?" Leaf nodded. "His order just came in a couple hours ago. Can I get you to take it to him?" He then hands her a small package, about the size of a Poké Ball.<br>"Look, we just need some supplies, alright." Zion was getting a little impatient.  
>"Sorry, but the Professor said he needed this as soon as possible." Zion just sighed at the response.<br>"Fine...let's go, guys." And so the trio made their way back to Pallet Town.

"Why would a renowned professor stoop to sending young trainers to get something for him?" Zion was annoyed about the predicament.  
>"Maybe he was a bit too busy with his research and forgot about it." Leaf made a logical explanation.<br>"Perhaps, but I still don't like the fact I'm just a delivery boy to a professor. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if a sociopathic machine and a stooge crusteation were to come here just to reinforce the fact."  
>"...What the heck are you talking about" Red stopped in his tracks at what Zion said.<br>"Eh, don't worry about it. I really don't think that will happen in this story." And so they continue and enter the lab.  
>"Ah, Red. Leaf. Welcome back." Oak then takes a good look at Zion. "I don't think I've seen you before. I'm Professor Oak."<br>"Zion Crayson. Nice to meet you, sir." The two shake hands, and the Professor looks back at the duo.  
>"So how are my old Pokémon doing?"<br>"They're doing alright. By the way, this arrived at the Viridian City Poké Mart a couple hours ago." Leaf handed him the package.  
>"Oh, that's right! I had a custom Poké Ball from Kurt on order! Thanks for making that delivery."<br>"Yo, Gramps!"  
>That voice...Zion wondered who it could be.<p>

Blue walked over to the four and looked at the Professor. "I almost forgot you asked me to come back for something. What was it again?"  
>"Oh, yeah! I had a request for the three of you." The Professor grabbed three items that looked like sideways books. "These are my latest invention: the Pokédex. It automatically records data you've seen or caught. It's a high-tech encyclopedia!" Oak handed a Pokédex to Red, Leaf, and Blue.<br>"Thank you, Professor." Leaf was excited to get started for real.  
>"Also, take these, as you can't get any detailed information by just looking at Pokémon." He then gives five Poké Balls to each trainer, this time including Zion.<br>"Thank you, sir."  
>"I haven't told many people this, but my greatest dream was to make a complete guide on all the Pokémon within this world. However, as I'm getting on in years, I'm finding there to be less and less time to get the job done. This is where you come in."<br>"Don't worry about it, Grandpa! Leave this to me!" Blue then looks at the trio. "I hate to burst your bubbles, guys, but I won't need any help for this. Perhaps I'll grab a map from my sister Daisy, then tell her not to lend you guys one!" And with a laugh, Blue walked off to go back to training.  
>"So he's your grandson?" Zion was confused how such a jerk could be related to a kind man.<br>"Yeah...his parents spoiled him when he was young." Oak was really disappointed in his child's lack of caretaking ability.  
>"Well, that makes sense. Well, time to get back to Viridian." And so the trio walk out of the lab and head north once again.<br>"Wait. Don't we need a Town Map?" Red asked.  
>"I already got one from Daisy beforehand." Leaf held up a map with a devious smirk.<p> 


	4. Zion's First Battle

During the walk back to Viridian, Zion got curious about the relationship between Red, Leaf, and Blue.  
>"You know, I've got a question," the Guardian started. "How long as that Blue guy been such a jerk?"<br>"Hmm...It's hard to say, actually." Leaf pondered the question. "Neither Red, nor I, can remember the first time he started developing such an attitude."  
>"And how long have you two known him?"<br>"Since we were little kids."  
>Zion couldn't believe his ears. "How...how can someone you know for so long suddenly become such a jerk?"<br>"I ask myself that question every day." Red stated, looking down. "I tend to think he let his competetive streak go too far, though."  
>"You know...that's actually a reasonable explanation on why he's such a jackass," Zion commented. "Sure, it still doesn't excuse his actions, especially what he's going to do later, but at least we now have a valid explanation as to why he acts the way he does."<br>"Wait...'what he's going to do later'?"  
>"Eh, it's nothing." The trio reach Viridian City once again, and take the western path. "I've always wondered why this path was west of Viridian."<br>"Who knows? Maybe because of the locked gym."  
>"Maybe, but it can still leave one wondering, Leaf.<p>

Arriving at Route 22, our trio find the route with Pokémon in the grass. There is a giant building at the end of the path. Along the path, however, the protagonists nearly bump into a familiar face.  
>"Watch where you're going!" Blue shouted.<br>"You again..." Zion was determined to teach the punk a lesson.  
>"So you're travelling with these two losers? Then you can forget about heading to the Pokémon League!"<br>"Pokémon League?"  
>"Man, you really <strong>ARE<strong> clueless!" Blue laughed at Zion's confusion. "If you're trying to become a trainer, then you're going to suck. Big time!"  
>The Guardian just couldn't contain his rage anymore. "I'll make you eat those words, you jerk!" He grabbed the Poké Ball containing Muramasa and tossed it at Blue. Instead of hitting him, however, a flash of light appeared as the ball opened and released the Scyther. "Well, that wasn't the intended result..."<br>"If it's a Pokémon Battle you want, then bring it on!" Blue shouted as he threw out his Pidgey.  
>"A bird? I don't think a simple bird is going to do much to Muramasa." The scyther nodded in response.<br>"Oh? Pidgey, tackle that Scyther!" The bird backed up a bit before flying at Muramasa at a decent speed.  
>"Dodge it, Muramasa!" The Scyther did as commanded, successfully evading the Pidgey's tackle. "Now, counterattack!"<br>Muramasa just stood there.  
>"Umm...hit that bird with your scythes?"<br>No response.  
>"You're supposed to call out an attack, Zion." Leaf noted.<br>"What attacks does this mantis have?"  
>Leaf got out her Pokédex and scanned Muramasa. "Seems he's got Razor Wind, Light Screen, Focus Energy, and Slash."<br>"There we go. Muramasa, Slash that Pidgey!"  
>"Scy!" Muramasa sprang into action and hit the bird with his scythe arms.<br>The Pidgey was hurt, but still flying.  
>"Use Gust!" Pidgey started flapping his wings at high speeds, whipping up a strong wind.<br>"Charge up for Razor Wind, Muramasa!" Muramasa nodded as he focused the Gust into his scythe arms.  
>"What is he doing there?" Blue wondered as Muramasa prepared his attack.<br>After the wind and dust cleared, Zion made his move. "Now! Razor Wind!" Muramasa launched multiple aerial blades at Pidgey.  
>"Oh, crap! Sand Attack, quick!" Pidgey tried to kick up some sand as a shield, but it was no use. The Razor Wind struck and knocked the Pidgey down, unconsious.<br>"Well, that was easy." Zion smirked as he beat the bird.  
>"Tch. Beginner's luck! Now it's time for the big guns!" Blue then called back his Pidgey and sent out his Charmander.<br>"A red salamander, huh? This could be interesting." Zion noted.  
>"Now then, use Ember!" Charmander then spins around, letting loose small fireballs from his tail at Muramasa.<br>"Uhh...try Light Screen!" Muramasa then conjured a gold barrier, deflecting most of the fire, which fizzled out on impact with the ground.  
>"So you know how to use shields. So what? Use Scratch!" Charmander then charged in and slashed at Muramasa, bypassing the Light Screen in the process.<br>"I think it's almost time to end this. Focus Energy!" Muramasa started gathering energy for the next attack.  
>"Now! Ember the Scyther while he's off guard!" Charmander started spinning again, and with Muramasa unable to block, he took the full brunt of the flames, knocking him down.<br>"Muramasa!" Zion ran over to his fallen ally. "Are you alright?"  
>Muramasa nodded.<p>

"Ha! You really **DO** suck at battling! If I were you, I'd just give up and go home!" Blue scoffed as he called back Charmander.  
>Zion immediately got up at glared at Blue. "If I were you, I'd shut my yap before something bad happened to me!"<br>"Really? And what bad thing would that be?"  
>"Trust me...you wouldn't want to find out." Sparks of electricity started to flicker around Zion.<br>"Woah! Calm down, Zion!" Leaf grabbed the enraged Guardian's shoulder in an attempt to quell his rage.  
>It didn't work.<br>"I will **NOT** calm down until this punk changes his attitude!"  
>"Whatever. I don't have to take any of this. Smell ya!" Blue walked back to Viridian, pushing Zion away from him in the process.<br>That pushed brought him over the edge, as the electricity was now flowing around him like a shield.  
>"I will <strong>NOT<strong> let this stand!" The rant has started. "That jerk will get his comeuppance, I tell you! Nobody, and I mean _**NOBODY**_ treats the Guardian of the Light like dirt and gets away with it!"  
>"Zion, please! Don't take it personally! He's done it to everyone, even the Professor!" Leaf tried to hold him, but the electricity was making it difficult for her to get close.<br>"Even his own grandfather? That makes it worse! Hasn't he heard of the whole 'honor thy family' bit? It's a holy line that **EVERYONE** should go by!"  
>"Bulba, Sleep Powder, please." Red sent out his Bulbasaur, and she unleashed a cloud of green dust at Zion.<br>"Seriously, guys, when I see him again, I'll...I'll..." The dust was starting to work, as Zion yawned and sat down. "I'll...give him...such a...thrashing..." And with that, Zion fell asleep.  
>"Geez, I thought he'd <strong>NEVER<strong> shut up!" Red exclaimed, calling back his Bulbasaur.  
>"Tell me about it. Thanks for putting him to sleep, Red." Leaf sighed as she grabbed the sleeping Guardian.<br>"It seemed to be the only way to stop his enraged ranting, but you're welcome, anyways." And with that, Red and Leaf guided the injured Scyther to the Pokémon Center.


	5. The Old Man

The next morning, in the Pokémon Center, Zion woke up in one of the bedrooms. It was something you would expect from a hospital-like building: plain white walls, a bookcase by the wall, a couple parrot ornaments hanging from the ceiling. Zion looked around, and remembered what was going on before he fell asleep.  
>"Oh, yeah...I went on a psycho rant of rage, and then that green dust came in. Must have been some sort of sleeping dust, or something like that." The Guardian hopped out of the bed when the door opened, and out came Red and Leaf, along with Muramasa.<br>"Good morning, sleepyhead." Leaf said with a chuckle.  
>"Hey, guys." Zion looked down in shame. "I'm sorry for my atrocious behavior yesterday. I'm supposed to be trained not to show such negative emotions, but, for some reason, that punk just got to me."<br>"Like I said, don't take it personally. Ever since Blue's competetive streak went too far, he's been putting everyone down whom he doesn't see as worthy."  
>"Yeah. Even his grandfather." Zion looked angry again, but no lightning was sparking out this time. "I swear on my Guardian's Code, that if I ever get the chance, I will absolutely stomp that punk to the curb and teach him a lesson in respect!" A metaphorical flame surrounded the Guardian, indicating the passion of his promise.<br>"With that done, what I would like to know is this:" Red was about the ask a major question. "What was with the lightning surrounding you?"  
>"Oh, yeah...that." Zion scratch the back of his head in embarassment. "I kinda forgot to mention that when I get mad, electrical sparks sometimes fly out. It's...kinda this thing I have."<br>"That...still doesn't really answer my question, but I guess we can leave it at that for now." And with that, the trio exited the Pokémon Center.

"So, where to next?"  
>Leaf pointed north. "That giant forest seems like a good place to go."<br>"Also, that old man blocking the way seems to have moved." Zion noted, seeing that the blockade was no longer there.  
>The trio walked over to the old man, who was now in a cheerful mood.<br>"Hey there, young'uns!" Perhaps a little **TOO** cheerful...  
>"Uhh...why so jovial all of a sudden?" Zion was the one to ask the question.<br>"Sorry about that ranting earlier, kids. I didn't have any coffee yesterday, and I get all jittery without it, and..."  
>"Alright, we get it, sir."<br>"So, I heard that you two are working on a Pokédex."  
>"Uhh...yeah." Leaf was worried how he knew that. "What does that have to do with our journey, though?"<br>"Simple, really: Before you can become good trainers, you need to know how to catch Pokémon." The old man then spotted a Weedle. "And here's how you do it, kids." He then tossed a Poké Ball at the Weedle, but the insect knocked it back at the old man and hit him, sealing him inside the Poké Ball for all time!  
>No, but seriously, the Poké Ball contained a Rattata. There was a small battle, and he successfully caught the weakened Weedle.<br>"And there you have it, kiddos." the old man had a smile on his face. "That's how you catch a Pokémon."  
>"Thank you, sir. We'll keep you in mind when we catch our first Pokémon." Zion said, and the trio walked north.<br>"Heh, heh. Yep. I've still got it.

Our trio was nearing the entrance of Viridian Forest when Leaf remembered something.  
>"Didn't Professor Oak say that he startled a swarm of Beedrill into attacking when doing his research?"<br>"Oh, yeah...he did say that." Red was a little cautious.  
>"Oh, man...I hate bees..." Zion shivered a bit as they entered the forest.<br>The inside of Viridian Forest was more like a maze than anything else. Trees abound marked a path, tall patches of grass surrounded the trees, and there were a lot of Pokémon within the forest. That's when Zion remembered something:  
>"I don't have one of those Pokédex thingies!" Zion shouted in dismay. "Without one of those devices, how will I be a good Trainer?"<br>"What about this translator thing in your tool pouch?" Leaf searched around and found the scouter.  
>"Hey! What are you doing searching in my tool pouches?" Zion grabbed the scouter from her and then had an idea. "You know...you might be on to something here, Leaf."<br>"What do you have in mind?"  
>Zion grabbed a small screwdriver and sat down on a nearby stump. "If I can tweak this thing enough, I can probably make it so I have a catalog of all the creatures I've seen during my journey."<br>Leaf looked at the hardware of the device. "Are you sure you'll be able to figure it out? That seems like a complex device."  
>Zion continued fiddling around with the device. "I've handled complex machinery before. There's nothing to worry about." Zion grabbed a USB-like cable and hooked one end to his scouter. "Can one of you hand me your Pokédex, please?"<br>Leaf grabbed hers and reluctantly handed it to Zion.  
>"You guys don't need to be so worried. I've done this before, and nothing bad happened." Zion connected the other end of the cable to the Pokédex." I simply copy the data from the source to the scouter, and it's done." The scouter flickered a bit during the copying procedure.<br>"So...how long does this usually take?" Red asked.  
>"It should be done right about now." With that, the scouter stopped flickering with data. Zion unhooked the cables and handed Leaf back her Pokédex.<br>She opened it and turned it on. It worked perfectly. "Wow...still fully functional."  
>"What'd I tell you? I know what I'm doing." Zion put the scouter back together and placed it on his ear. "Let's go."<p> 


	6. Rescuing Rat Trap

The trio examined the forest as they walked. Bug Catchers were running around the area, trying to catch the Pokémon around. It's what one would expect for a forest: mostly insects and coccoons. There were also a few birds flying around the area, mostly Pidgeotto, but there were also a few Pidgey and Spearow as well. The trio kept walking around until a yellow mouse examined the trio.  
>"Huh...you don't see those kind of creatures every day..." Zion was baffled at how the mouse was on his hind legs, as well as the fact he was yellow.<br>"So, what do we do?" Leaf asked, wondering what to do next.  
>"I know what I'm doing." Red got out his Poké Ball and sent out Bulba.<br>"First dibs, huh? I can wait." Zion walked over to a nearby tree and watched the battle, Leaf following behind.  
>"Thanks." Red smiled, then turned toward the Pikachu. "Are you ready, Pikachu?"<br>"Pika, pika!" The little mouse got into a combat stance.  
>"Oh, he's ready." Zion noted the tone in his voice.<br>"Alright. Bulba, Sludge Bomb, now!" Bulba launched a blob of sludge at the Pikachu, who promptly blocked it with a shield.  
>"Does that mouse know Light Screen?"<br>"Not sure." Leaf was uncertain. "Maybe it was Protect, but I can't really be sure."  
>"Either way, I'm catching this mouse!" Red was determined to catch his first Pokémon before the others. "Magical Leaf!"<br>Bulba launched some leaves at the Pikachu. Pikachu tried to dodge, but they followed him and struck the mouse.  
>"A homing attack?"<br>"Magical Leaf is one of a handful of attacks that always hit the enemy, regardless of accuracy or evasion modification." Leaf explained. "Aerial Ace and Shock Wave are two of the more common moves like this."  
>"Now, Sleep Powder, please." Bulba launched a cloud of dust at the Pikachu.<br>"That's...that's the same dust from before!"  
>"Sleep Powder, Zion. It makes the target fall asleep by inhaling it."<br>"I guess it was the only way to stop my ranting, so I forgive you two." Just then a yellow worm inched up to Leaf.  
>"This one's mine!" Leaf called out her Squirtle and prepared for battle.<br>"Last one is me, I guess." Zion then spotted a large tree with a purple object near it.

Zion walked toward the object when he noticed it was a little purple rat. "A purple rat? It's official: this is the strangest world ever." Just then, he heard a buzzing sound. "Oh, please don't be what I think it is..."  
>Leaf walked over to Zion, having finished her capture. "I don't think this is a safe place Zion."<br>Red then walked over, having caught his Pikachu. "You guys just missed the sweetest capture!" He then looks up and sees a few yellow creatures. "Uh-oh..."  
>"What?" Zion looked up, but then froze as he saw those yellow creatures were mutant bees. "Eep..."<br>"What's wrong, Zion?" Leaf then looked and saw the bees. "Oh...RUN!" Leaf and Red tried to make a break for it when the saw Zion still sitting there.  
>"Zion, what are still doing here? We have to run!" Leaf then got a look at Zion's face. It was one of pure terror.<br>"Red! We have to get Zion out of here!" The then grabbed Zion and ran for an exit.  
>They couldn't find an exit, but they managed to evade the Beedrill. They then looked at Zion.<br>He was still in a state of paralytic fear. His irises were only a third of their original size, and his mouth was open wide, like he was about to scream, but no sound was coming out.  
>"Shellshock, Water Gun, please." The squirtle then launched a stream of water at Zion's face.<br>The Guardian then shook his head and gasped for air. That snapped him out of it.  
>"Welcome back to sanity, Zion." Leaf said as she called back her Squirtle.<br>"What happened?" Zion was looking around, gathering his bearings. "One moment, I saw those...demons, and the next thing I'm here. And I'm still carrying this little rat." Zion then noticed the Rattata in his hands.  
>"A Rattata?" Leaf examined the little rat closely. "He doesn't look so good."<br>Indeed, the situation was bad. The rat was barely breathing and was bruised up. It looked like he was unknowingly entering the Beedrill's territory for food.  
>"We'd better take this rat to the hospital, wherever one is." Zion looked around for the Beedrill and saw none. "Let's go. Quickly." And so the trio ran north, where the found the exit of the forest, and the entrance to Pewter City.<p>

"A Pokémon Center!" Leaf sighed with relief as they entered the Center.  
>Zion rushed to the counter with the Rattata still in his hands. "Excuse me, but this rat needs medical assistance, and quick!" He placed the rat down on the counter, while a stretcher came in, wheeled by a couple Chansey.<br>"Don't worry, this Rattata will be in good hands!" The nurse then placed the rat on the stretcher, and the Chansey ran off to the ER.  
>"Now all we can do is wait." The trio then sat on the bench.<br>After about fifteen minutes of waiting, the nurse came back and walked to the trio.  
>"How's the Rattata going to do?" Zion was worried about the condition he found the little one in.<br>"It seems the Rattata's going to make a full recovery." The nurse replied. "He's lucky you found him when you did. We're not sure if he would've made it through another fifteen minutes."  
>"Then I managed to do my job properly." Zion was relieved, and rather proud, he was able to save a life.<br>"Job?"  
>"I do mention him calling himself a guardian, actually." Leaf puzzled the whole guardian schtick.<br>The stretcher then came back, revealing that the Rattata, while weak, was back on his feet.  
>"I'm glad I was able to help you, little one." Zion looked at the Rattata.<br>"Thank you for saving my life, guardian." The rat smiled at Zion.  
>"Say, you want to join my quest?"<br>"I don't think I'll be going back to that forest for a while, so sure."  
>"He seems to want to join you." the nurse said.<br>"I've got a Poké Ball ready if you really wish to join." Zion grabbed on from his tool pouch.  
>The Rattata simply nodded.<br>"May I?"  
>"If he's still wild, then go ahead, but we'll need to keep him for the night afterwards."<br>"Very well." Zion tapped the ball on the rat's head and he went inside. Like with Muramasa, there was virtually no struggle, and the ball stopped shaking after a few seconds.  
>Zion then handed the Poké Ball to the nurse. "Please make sure Rat Trap is back in action by morning."<br>"We will."  
>"Rat Trap, huh? That's an interesting name for your new Rattata." Leaf pondered the new name.<br>"Well, it does make sense, in a way." Red noted. "He's a rat, and he'll have a trap set up, or something like that."  
>"I just thought Rat Trap sounded cool, but the trap part...maybe I'll have him trap someone with his techniques." Zion wondered what kind of traps he could think of.<p> 


	7. The Museum

The next day, Zion, Red, and Leaf decided to explore the city. There wasn't much of interest. Mostly a few buildings, but there was a gym and a museum, which our heroes went to first.  
>"I've always heard about the museum, but I've never got a chance to go inside until now," Leaf said, excited to finally get a chance to go inside. Just then, however, Red felt one of his Poké Balls shaking.<br>"Hmm?" Red grabbed the Ball that was shaking and out popped Pikachu.  
>"Wow...never seen that before..."<br>"Indeed," Zion noted. "Perhaps the mouse doesn't want to stay in the containment unit..." The Pikachu nodded in response.  
>"Now that you mention it, I've heard Professor Oak talk about how some Pokémon don't like being confined to their Poké Balls..."<br>"I'm guessing we can finally go in, right?" And with that, Leaf dashed into the museum.  
>"Seems someone's in a rush to see the exhibits," Zion laughed, and the boys walked inside.<p>

Walking inside, the trio saw a strange receptionist. She had an orange shirt and brown, patched-up pants on. She was also wearing yellow goggles. Of course, the strangest thing she had, aside from the blue hair, was that she had a case of heterochromia. Her right eye was red while the other one was green.  
>"Welcome to the Pewter Museum of Science. The fee for entry is 円 50 per person." She was writing down a log of entrants with a giant feather.<br>"Crap, I don't have any money with me..." Zion started to head back when Leaf stopped him.  
>"This one's on me, Zion." Leaf placed 円150 on the table.<br>"Thank you, and enjoy your stay." The three started to walk over when she spoke up again. "Oh, and Zion?, was it?"  
>Zion turned around. "Yeah?"<br>"Be sure to let the author know that he needs to keep working. Nobody likes when there's a ScheduleSlip, ok?"  
>"Uhh...what?"<br>"Keep the readers happy with regular updates."  
>What readers? The story's only had one review on this site!<br>"More egging me on, huh, Narrator?"  
>What can I say? I just love watching you squirm.<br>"Alright, that's enough out of you. Besides, there's been a second review in the middle of this."  
>"Uhh...who are you talking to?" Leaf and Red were completely weirded out at Zion's talking to himself.<br>"You...you don't hear the narrator messing with me, huh?"  
>"I don't even know what a narrator is, Zion." Red backed away a bit, fearing Zion's sanity may have slipped a bit.<br>"Eh, don't worry about it, then. Let's just explore the area." And with that, the trio decided to head upstairs.  
>"Hmm...perhaps I should tell them that I'm good friends with the Narrator...Nah!" The mystery woman then went back to work.<p>

Upstairs in the museum, the trio looked at the space exhibit, the main attraction. There was a model of a space shuttle and a case with some lunar rocks, or Moon Stones, if you will. Zion walked over to the shuttle, and the other two followed.  
>"You know," he started, "it's amazing what things can lie beyond this simple world of ours."<br>"Rumor has it that Clefairy came to this planet from a meteorite that landed thousands of years ago." Leaf added.  
>"There are also reports that an alien virus crashed here and mutated into a strange Pokémon upon contact with a laser." The trio looked around for the person who said that and saw a young man with tanned skin and spiky brown hair. He was wearing green cargo pants along with a black and orange jacket. The strangest thing about him was that he seemed to never open his eyes completely, despite being able to walk perfectly straight.<br>"I believe we haven't met yet." He bowed slightly in respect to the trio. "Name's Brock. I'm the leader of the gym a little ways to the south."  
>"I was wondering what that large building north of the Center was..."<br>"Why didn't you tell us that in the first place, you jerk?" Leaf was about to smack Zion for not mentioning the gym when Red grabbed her arm.  
>"You were excited to enter the museum, Leaf. I doubt you would have been interested in the gym."<br>"Besides, the leader wasn't there, so even if we went there first, it would have been closed." Zion was certainly not pleased at Leaf's little outburst there.  
>"So you three are trainers, huh?" Brock seemed interested in challenging the trio.<br>"Yeah, I'm Leaf, this is Red, and this guy who won't tell us where the gyms are is Zion."  
>"HEY!" Zion retorted. "I didn't even know what a gym even was until I met this guy!"<br>Hmm...that cute girl and her friend seem to have gotten into a rough patch. The stone leader thought for moment, and then spoke up: "You seem to be new here, Zion."  
>"Yeah, he's new. He didn't even brush up on the basics when we met him!"<br>I just GOT to this blasted universe, sister...Zion was definitely seething inside.  
>"At any rate, perhaps I should teach him the basics of Pokémon battling. Then when my shift here is over, I'll treat you all to a Gym Battle. How does that sound to you guys?"<br>"That sounds good" Red was wanting to start the badge collection soon.  
>"We'll be wandering around while you get your Pokémon Battling skills sharpened, alright?" Leaf seemed to have cheered up rather quickly.<br>"Alright." The two walked to the Moon Stone exhibit, leaving the guardian with the gym leader. "Alright, Brock. What do I have to do to become a good Pokémon Trainer?"


	8. The Mystery Girl

A snowstorm can do many things to a man. For one, it can trap him in over a foot of snow. He can also die due to a faulty generator. Or he can get off his lazy ass and write a dumb story.  
>"Why are you ragging on the author?"<br>What? He's lazy. And what kind of man watches a DVD filled with cartoons to restore his sanity, anyways?  
>"Just get on with the story before I decide to hunt you down and pound you for saying such things."<br>Fine...Zion had just finished talking to Brock about the basics of Pokémon training when-  
>"Wait...finished? Where's the practice battle and stuff like that?"<br>Nobody wants to read that, ok? But if you're so insistant on putting it in, we'll put in some sort of 'Filler Chapter' or something depicting your lesson so there won't be a huge gap in the plot, ok?  
>"Alright. You may continue, now."<br>Good. Zion had just finished talking to Brock about the basics of Pokémon training when Red and Leaf met Zion outside.  
>"Zion, you really need to stop talking to yourself like that." Leaf said.<br>_I_'_d_ _stop_ _talking_ _to_ _the_ _narrator_ _if_ _he_'_d_ _stop_ _acting_ _like_ _a_ _major_ _jerk_...  
>You know, I can read your thoughts, too.<br>_Hmm_... "Sorry, Leaf." Zion finally spoke. "I'll try to refrain from that in the future."  
>"Thank you. By the way, do you know that girl at the counter in the museum?"<br>"I haven't seen her anywhere until she suddenly came up and applied for the position." Brock replied. "She didn't even give out a name."  
>"I've heard rumors of internet personalities popping up every now and then." Zion seemed curious. "Could she be one of them?"<br>"Hmm...could be." The receptionist walked over to the trio.

"Hey, there." Red was curious on who this mystery girl was.  
>"Alright, who are you and what are you doing here?" Leaf, however, was just impatient, grabbing the girl's shirt.<br>"Geez, calm down will ya?" The girl lightly slapped Leaf's hand out of the way. "I'll tell you who I am, but you have to be polite about it."  
>"Leaf's been in a bad mood ever since the whole gym thing." Zion glared at Leaf, still not happy for blaming him for not telling her. "So, please, tell us who you are."<br>"I am known as Trope-Tan, Anthropomorphic Moe Personification of TVTropes!" The girl struck a pose upon saying her name.  
><em>And<em> _here_ _I_ _thought_ _I_'_d_ _seen_ _everything_... Zion was definitely lost on this new development.  
>"Here's the deal: the author needs extra trainers for the first two gyms, right?"<br>"How...how did you know that?"  
>"You're not the only one with MediumAwareness, buddy." Trope-Tan nudged Zion's shoulder.<br>"Ok..."  
>"So, how are you going to supply spare trainers?" Leaf asked.<br>"Easy! I'll be the third trainer for your battle!"  
>"We can battle alongside my student." The five then walked up to the Gym doors.<p>

The building itself seemed like any other from the back, but coming up to the front, the three Trainers were amazed at the giant stone slab in front of the doors. There was also a stone sign in front with the words "Pewter City Pokémon Gym Leader: Brock The Rock-Solid Pokémon Trainer."  
>"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Pewter Gym," Brock announced, opening the doors.<br>"This is a Gym?" Zion looked around. "Looks more like a mountain range to me."  
>"Well, of course." Brock laughed. "Each gym has its own theme to note which type it represents. The Pewter Gym, for example deals with Rock-type Pokémon."<br>"I guess that makes sense."  
>"Enough talking!" Leaf shouted. "Let's get to the battle!"<br>"Ready for the battle immediately, huh?" Brock noted her entusiasm. "Let's hope your confidence isn't misplaced. Liam!"  
>"Oh, Brock!" A boy in a scout uniform ran over. "I didn't realize you were back."<br>"Wait..." Red was confused. "I thought the Gym was closed..."  
>"It was," Brock explained, "but Liam usually keeps watch in here from time to time."<br>"I also help train the Pokémon."  
>"Alright, guys," Trope-Tan started, "here are the rules: We will be having a Triple Multi Battle. That means there will be three people at each corner sending out one of their Pokémon at a time."<br>"I've heard of Triple Battles," Leaf pondered, "but I've never heard of people combining Multi Battles with them."  
>"Yeah, this is definitely a first for everyone. Myself included." The blue-haired girl continued. "Anyways, each combatant can use up to two Pokémon, and only the challengers may be able to switch freely."<br>"The Challenger's Advantage Clause." Red noted.  
>"I'm surprised. Few people have read up on that."<br>"Wait..." Zion was lost on the Clause. "I didn't realize there were special Clauses for battling.."  
>"It's mostly for fairness." Brock explained. "It wasn't always like this, but the 'Gym Leader's Fairness Act' prevented the Gym Leaders from switching in battle without the challenger's consent."<br>"Those protests were quite rough, from what I've read." Trope-Tan looked down for a moment, then looked at the trio and clapped her hands. "But I digress. Let's begin, shall we?" The group walked over to their respective sides of the arena.  
>And after all this time, the snowstorm didn't even get the author to complete the chapter...Guess he's just too lazy to do anything.<p>

_Please_, _Narrator_, _don_'_t_ _insult_ _the_ _author_ _like_ _that_.  
>Why? It's not like he can do anything.<br>_If_ _I_ _ever_ _find_ _you_, _I_ _promise_ _I_'_ll_ _make_ _your_ _life_ _as_ _miserable_ _as_ _possible_...


End file.
